Is active 3D better than passive? I'd always assumed it gave a better experience, but with the downside of active glasses needing batteries/charging and being more expensive than their passive counterparts.

Edited by: "theshabster" 5th Sep 2015

5th Sep 2015

Mlechko

Actually, you can find it … Actually, you can find it cheaper:http://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-viera-tx-48cx400b-led-4k-ultra-hd-3d-smart-tv-48-with-freeview-hd-and-built-in-wi-fi/p2033314

​not with the warranty

5th Sep 2015

srp111

​not with the warranty

​john lewis is cheaper and has 5 years guarantee. richersounds is more expensive and you have to pay £59 for 6 years warranty? I've made my mind up about which is better deal.

Cold

5th Sep 2015

Mlechko

Actually, you can find it … Actually, you can find it cheaper:http://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-viera-tx-48cx400b-led-4k-ultra-hd-3d-smart-tv-48-with-freeview-hd-and-built-in-wi-fi/p2033314

​inferior model but nice find

5th Sep 2015

theshabster

Is active 3D better than passive? I'd always assumed it gave a better … Is active 3D better than passive? I'd always assumed it gave a better experience, but with the downside of active glasses needing batteries/charging and being more expensive than their passive counterparts.

​john lewis is cheaper and has 5 years guarantee. richersounds is more e … ​john lewis is cheaper and has 5 years guarantee. richersounds is more expensive and you have to pay £59 for 6 years warranty? I've made my mind up about which is better deal. Cold

Are they both the same TV?

5th Sep 2015

SlimaB

Active v passive 3d explained. 3d comparison

It's just the the OP phrased it "with 3D (albeit active not passive)", giving the impression that he thought passive was better than active, hence my query.

Edited by: "theshabster" 5th Sep 2015

5th Sep 2015

theshabster

It's just the the OP phrased it "with 3D (albeit active not passive)", … It's just the the OP phrased it "with 3D (albeit active not passive)", giving the impression that he thought passive was better than active, hence my query.

​not better just as you said, easier and more preferable

5th Sep 2015

I believe this model does NOT have hevc built in - therefore no Netflix 4k.

Dave

5th Sep 2015

Richer Sounds also guarantees to beat web prices, will beat john lewis just call them

5th Sep 2015

robertdoll

Richer Sounds also guarantees to beat web prices, will beat john lewis … Richer Sounds also guarantees to beat web prices, will beat john lewis just call them

​it's a different model to the JL one. Higher numbered model which usually means better model.

5th Sep 2015

Mlechko

Actually, you can find it … Actually, you can find it cheaper:http://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-viera-tx-48cx400b-led-4k-ultra-hd-3d-smart-tv-48-with-freeview-hd-and-built-in-wi-fi/p2033314

That's the lower end model which is a supermarket made TV rebranded as Panasonic.

5th Sep 2015

3D? What is this 2011?

5th Sep 2015

Mlechko

Actually, you can find it … Actually, you can find it cheaper:http://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-viera-tx-48cx400b-led-4k-ultra-hd-3d-smart-tv-48-with-freeview-hd-and-built-in-wi-fi/p2033314

​the only thing on that tv that's Panasonic is the badge everything else is vestel

5th Sep 2015

dijital

3D? What is this 2011?

​in addition to 4K, so no, not 2011.

5th Sep 2015

whiteswan

I believe this model does NOT have hevc built in - therefore no Netflix … I believe this model does NOT have hevc built in - therefore no Netflix 4k.Dave

I bought one of these recently (Panasonic outlet - 499) and can confirm, no HEVC. Still a fantastic TV though - 1080 content looks incredible with the upscaling they have on board. native 4K looks even better when routed through my PC.

Mlechko

Actually, you can find it … Actually, you can find it cheaper:http://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-viera-tx-48cx400b-led-4k-ultra-hd-3d-smart-tv-48-with-freeview-hd-and-built-in-wi-fi/p2033314

not the same TV at all, that's significantly inferior.- not a metal stand (faux metal plastic)- cheaper construction to entire TV- worse panels- everything is vestal

if anything, that TV you linked is overpriced. I've seen similar sell for around 400.

theshabster

Is active 3D better than passive? I'd always assumed it gave a better … Is active 3D better than passive? I'd always assumed it gave a better experience, but with the downside of active glasses needing batteries/charging and being more expensive than their passive counterparts.

IMO, for TVs with a 4K 3D panel, passive 3D's resolution loss isn't significant enough to be a problem any more (you're still going to need to find content that supports that sort of setup though). Active is still superior, given the right conditions (good glasses, good panels, good source, etc.), but considering the price difference - it's not as clear cut any more.

5th Sep 2015

malachi

That's the lower end model which is a supermarket made TV rebranded as … That's the lower end model which is a supermarket made TV rebranded as Panasonic.

That's right - they make them in a room at the back of my local Sainsburys

5th Sep 2015

whiteswan

I believe this model does NOT have hevc built in - therefore no Netflix … I believe this model does NOT have hevc built in - therefore no Netflix 4k.Dave

Mlechko

Actually, you can find it … Actually, you can find it cheaper:http://www.johnlewis.com/panasonic-viera-tx-48cx400b-led-4k-ultra-hd-3d-smart-tv-48-with-freeview-hd-and-built-in-wi-fi/p2033314

theshabster

Is active 3D better than passive? I'd always assumed it gave a better … Is active 3D better than passive? I'd always assumed it gave a better experience, but with the downside of active glasses needing batteries/charging and being more expensive than their passive counterparts.

I totally disagree with you about the 3D. Surely with a 4K panel the one advantage of active is removed over passive and passive becomes superior in everyway. I love plasma tv's but when I compared active 3D to passive 3D I had to admit it was a huge advantage to LCD televisions and made the 3D experience far superior overall. I have 2 passive 3D televisions now and an active 3D projector and find passive far superior and convenient. I would strongly suggest anyone really interested in 3D try out both systems. Lets not also forget the sheer convenience of passive too which has easily replaceable glasses costing little more than a £1, never needs batteries, never needs charging, never loses sync, never wear out or go faulty. Gives brighter 3D images, smoother movement and less likely to cause headaches and discomfort. Your whole family and friends can enjoy 3D viewing with no one complaining half way through the movie that their glasses don't work. You won't even care if you sit on them and break a pair as so cheap to replace.

5th Sep 2015

So, looking st the title, is this a whole one inch TV?

5th Sep 2015

theshabster

Is active 3D better than passive? I'd always assumed it gave a better … Is active 3D better than passive? I'd always assumed it gave a better experience, but with the downside of active glasses needing batteries/charging and being more expensive than their passive counterparts.

Yes because passive means the tv has to produce 2 full frame images at the same time, meaning the resolution drops by 1/2. Active means each other frame is the other image and the glasses sync to this. Resolution does not drop but the htz frame rate does, but if the tv has a high enough frame rate then it does not matter.

5th Sep 2015

Spod

So, looking st the title, is this a whole one inch TV?

​don't know what you're on about

5th Sep 2015

Good price, voted hot. Those not in need of 4K or 3Dcan save a few quid with something like this: hotukdeals.com/dea…769

5th Sep 2015

darrenpbond

Edit- this is not a VESTEL unit

Have you proof of such a claim ?

5th Sep 2015

jayman1986

​john lewis is cheaper and has 5 years guarantee. richersounds is more e … ​john lewis is cheaper and has 5 years guarantee. richersounds is more expensive and you have to pay £59 for 6 years warranty? I've made my mind up about which is better deal. Cold

For RS VIP members (about 15 seconds of your time to join) the warranty is free, making the RS deal cheaper....... You're fired

5th Sep 2015

daffydcuk

Have you proof of such a claim ?

​yes, the same amount of proof that others provide stating when one is VESTEL....

Although see comment from MechaCrash RE quality.

5th Sep 2015

darrenpbond

​yes, the same amount of proof that others provide stating when one is V … ​yes, the same amount of proof that others provide stating when one is VESTEL....Although see comment from MechaCrash RE quality.

With all due respect neither yourself or Mechacrash have proven definitively that this particular model IS or is NOT a vestel - nor have you told us where it is being manufactured which would be of some use As it stands you are potentially misleading the members who are reading this thread

Edited by: "dmm1000" 5th Sep 2015

5th Sep 2015

darrenpbond

​yes, the same amount of proof that others provide stating when one is V … ​yes, the same amount of proof that others provide stating when one is VESTEL....Although see comment from MechaCrash RE quality.

But its you who is claiming categorically its not a Vestel unit. Being questioned and asked to provide further information seems pretty reasonable.

5th Sep 2015

proof is it's not the plastic unit they also sell. common sense says this is genuine Panasonic unit and the less superior plastic one I've quoted in title is the VESTEL rebadged. Not wanting to mislead anybody! merely trying to post a decent TV for others and to point out it ain't the standard plastic one. If you and or others don't want to purchase then don't.

5th Sep 2015

What do people think about 4K, is it too early to buy tvs yet? I don't know a huge amount about it but with things like only some tvs being compatible with Netflix 4K service will there be other issues when Amazon Prime's 4K content launches? Did I hear correctly Blurays are being developed to store 4K content, will these be playable on existing Bluray players? WIll these need specific 4K tvs or will they all be compatible?I'll probably change my main tv within the next 12 months but want a 4K one that will be compatible with everything if that exists.

6th Sep 2015

darrenpbond

proof is it's not the plastic unit they also sell. common sense says this … proof is it's not the plastic unit they also sell. common sense says this is genuine Panasonic unit and the less superior plastic one I've quoted in title is the VESTEL rebadged. Not wanting to mislead anybody! merely trying to post a decent TV for others and to point out it ain't the standard plastic one. If you and or others don't want to purchase then don't.

So its a guess.

6th Sep 2015

topss

So its a guess.

Check out wiki. Just google do vestel manufacture for Panasonic and you will find your answer. Panasonic use LG panels in some of their other sets. As far as I can tell the only manufacturers who manufacture their own panels are LG, Samsung and not really sure about Sony. Some Samsung sets do not have their own panels in either.

I totally disagree with you about the 3D. Surely with a 4K panel the one … I totally disagree with you about the 3D. Surely with a 4K panel the one advantage of active is removed over passive and passive becomes superior in everyway. I love plasma tv's but when I compared active 3D to passive 3D I had to admit it was a huge advantage to LCD televisions and made the 3D experience far superior overall. I have 2 passive 3D televisions now and an active 3D projector and find passive far superior and convenient. I would strongly suggest anyone really interested in 3D try out both systems. Lets not also forget the sheer convenience of passive too which has easily replaceable glasses costing little more than a £1, never needs batteries, never needs charging, never loses sync, never wear out or go faulty. Gives brighter 3D images, smoother movement and less likely to cause headaches and discomfort. Your whole family and friends can enjoy 3D viewing with no one complaining half way through the movie that their glasses don't work. You won't even care if you sit on them and break a pair as so cheap to replace.

Sadly, this is not entirely true.the very nature of a passive display results in a loss of resolution. If you use native 4K 3D content, you will still have a 50% loss of vertical lines with passive 3D. Thankfully, most of the content on the market right now is still only FHD 3D (and likely will be until a new storage format is adopted), but 4K upscaling for that content will still only be applicable to the active 3D approach - you will simply retain full resolution in passive. Further, the black bar effect that occurs with passive TVs will still be a problem regardless of resolution.

The inconveniences of active 3D (or the implied conveniences of passive 3D) aren't something I considered when buying my TVs, and I have had experience with both solutions. It is of my honest opinion that damaging glasses, failing to replace batteries (or recharge them, as is the case with any decent pair), or any other human error is exactly that - /human/ error. As I said "active is still superior, /given the right conditions/" (emphasis mine).

dmm1000

With all due respect neither yourself or Mechacrash have proven … With all due respect neither yourself or Mechacrash have proven definitively that this particular model IS or is NOT a vestel - nor have you told us where it is being manufactured which would be of some use As it stands you are potentially misleading the members who are reading this thread

For future reference, all Panasonic vestel units have a model number ending in 00, the X30 series is categorically /not/ vestel. I will happily supply you manufacture information if you absolutely need it.

Jimmyboy

What do people think about 4K, is it too early to buy tvs yet? I don't … What do people think about 4K, is it too early to buy tvs yet? I don't know a huge amount about it but with things like only some tvs being compatible with Netflix 4K service will there be other issues when Amazon Prime's 4K content launches? Did I hear correctly Blurays are being developed to store 4K content, will these be playable on existing Bluray players? WIll these need specific 4K tvs or will they all be compatible?I'll probably change my main tv within the next 12 months but want a 4K one that will be compatible with everything if that exists.

I love 4K, but I will be the first to admit it's not yet ready for prime-time. The TV here (and many in the same price band as it) are fantastic, but they're not "perfect". There's always something missing - in this case HEVC, which is pretty significant. There are very few sources of native 4K content, and without HEVC, the TV itself simply cannot play it back internally anyway - this is not to say it cannot display 4K content, but that it cannot use the smart TV functionality through apps or DLNA to decode the content locally - it will require a dedicated device (a PC, or a 4K "Roku"-style device) connected via HDMI 2.0.That being said, 4K TVs like this one are fast approaching price parity with their FHD counterparts. Sure you could get a 48" 1080p TV cheaper - but you'd be getting worse build quality, less smart TV functionality, less connectivity, etc. I bought into 4K at the time because it was literally <100 difference to do so, and I think at that point the choice is obvious.

6th Sep 2015

MechaCrash

Sadly, this is not entirely true.the very nature of a passive display … Sadly, this is not entirely true.the very nature of a passive display results in a loss of resolution. If you use native 4K 3D content, you will still have a 50% loss of vertical lines with passive 3D. Thankfully, most of the content on the market right now is still only FHD 3D (and likely will be until a new storage format is adopted), but 4K upscaling for that content will still only be applicable to the active 3D approach - you will simply retain full resolution in passive. Further, the black bar effect that occurs with passive TVs will still be a problem regardless of resolution.The inconveniences of active 3D (or the implied conveniences of passive 3D) aren't something I considered when buying my TVs, and I have had experience with both solutions. It is of my honest opinion that damaging glasses, failing to replace batteries (or recharge them, as is the case with any decent pair), or any other human error is exactly that - /human/ error. As I said "active is still superior, /given the right conditions/" (emphasis mine).For future reference, all Panasonic vestel units have a model number ending in 00, the X30 series is categorically /not/ vestel. I will happily supply you manufacture information if you absolutely need it.I love 4K, but I will be the first to admit it's not yet ready for prime-time. The TV here (and many in the same price band as it) are fantastic, but they're not "perfect". There's always something missing - in this case HEVC, which is pretty significant. There are very few sources of native 4K content, and without HEVC, the TV itself simply cannot play it back internally anyway - this is not to say it cannot display 4K content, but that it cannot use the smart TV functionality through apps or DLNA to decode the content locally - it will require a dedicated device (a PC, or a 4K "Roku"-style device) connected via HDMI 2.0.That being said, 4K TVs like this one are fast approaching price parity with their FHD counterparts. Sure you could get a 48" 1080p TV cheaper - but you'd be getting worse build quality, less smart TV functionality, less connectivity, etc. I bought into 4K at the time because it was literally <100 difference to do so, and I think at that point the choice is obvious.

​and there's the proof. thank you for your posts, much appreciated

6th Sep 2015

MechaCrash

Sadly, this is not entirely true.the very nature of a passive display … Sadly, this is not entirely true.the very nature of a passive display results in a loss of resolution. If you use native 4K 3D content, you will still have a 50% loss of vertical lines with passive 3D. Thankfully, most of the content on the market right now is still only FHD 3D (and likely will be until a new storage format is adopted), but 4K upscaling for that content will still only be applicable to the active 3D approach - you will simply retain full resolution in passive. Further, the black bar effect that occurs with passive TVs will still be a problem regardless of resolution.The inconveniences of active 3D (or the implied conveniences of passive 3D) aren't something I considered when buying my TVs, and I have had experience with both solutions. It is of my honest opinion that damaging glasses, failing to replace batteries (or recharge them, as is the case with any decent pair), or any other human error is exactly that - /human/ error. As I said "active is still superior, /given the right conditions/" (emphasis mine).For future reference, all Panasonic vestel units have a model number ending in 00, the X30 series is categorically /not/ vestel. I will happily supply you manufacture information if you absolutely need it.I love 4K, but I will be the first to admit it's not yet ready for prime-time. The TV here (and many in the same price band as it) are fantastic, but they're not "perfect". There's always something missing - in this case HEVC, which is pretty significant. There are very few sources of native 4K content, and without HEVC, the TV itself simply cannot play it back internally anyway - this is not to say it cannot display 4K content, but that it cannot use the smart TV functionality through apps or DLNA to decode the content locally - it will require a dedicated device (a PC, or a 4K "Roku"-style device) connected via HDMI 2.0.That being said, 4K TVs like this one are fast approaching price parity with their FHD counterparts. Sure you could get a 48" 1080p TV cheaper - but you'd be getting worse build quality, less smart TV functionality, less connectivity, etc. I bought into 4K at the time because it was literally <100 difference to do so, and I think at that point the choice is obvious.

Passive 3D is the only method that provides a 3D image consistently like normal television. Active 3D only provides an image to one eye at a time and there is a blank time in-between. It relies on the brain to fill in the gaps and perceive it as a consistent image. I'm sure later televisions are better but can produce much flicker and for some much more viewing discomfort, also less fluid motion. The fact the image is only seen for a shorter period of time also means a darker image and the panel must compensate more with higher brightness. Generally the panel needs to be higher spec.

Again I would say check out both types. I went in assuming plasma with active 3d would be superior over LCD with passive 3D when demonstrated instore but realised the passive 3D experience was far superior to me. I found active 3D uncomfortable and results inferior. I couldn't even see the active 3D resolution advantage at normal viewing distances.

6th Sep 2015

MechaCrash

For future reference, all Panasonic vestel units have a model number … For future reference, all Panasonic vestel units have a model number ending in 00, the X30 series is categorically /not/ vestel. I will happily supply you manufacture information if you absolutely need it..

Please do Mechacrash - and please post it here on the forum in this thread for the benefit of anyone else who may be interestedI anticipate your post - thank you